


On with the Tour

by mustdefine



Category: Gymnastics RPF
Genre: Fierce Five, Friendship, Gen, Tour Fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-11-18
Updated: 2012-11-18
Packaged: 2017-11-20 19:06:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 889
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/588664
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mustdefine/pseuds/mustdefine
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Two sets of friendships near the end of the Kelloggs Tour.</p>
            </blockquote>





	On with the Tour

**Author's Note:**

> Wrote this in honor of the Kelloggs Tour of Injuries/Champions finally ending. Goodbyes are hard even when you’re tired of party rocking.

The girls sit and talk for long after Aly’s family has gone to bed. They all have their own bedrooms for the weekend, which is nice after sharing the bus and hotel rooms for far too long. But they stay together in Aly’s bedroom for now. Soon enough they will have to part.

Gabby falls asleep eventually, tired from the show tonight. They arrange a blanket over her and keep talking in low voices.

“We have to at least pick somewhere warm,” McKayla says. “You two can keep your winters. I need beaches and fruity drinks.”

“I think that could be arranged,” Aly says, resting her chin on Mac’s shoulder. “I know a guy with a beach house.”

“You know a  _guy_?!” Mac says. Aly pretends to bite her.

Jo says, “I’m still voting for your place in the Vineyard. Can we go yachting? I just want to go yachting so I can say the word ‘yacht’ like a million times.”

“Sure, if you want, but we don’t actually own a yacht. We’ll have to rent one.”

“No, see, I have a plan for that. If you hock your medals, we can definitely buy a gently-used yacht on Craigslist. And then we can resell it for more than it’s worth and buy another one. And then we can do it all over again. Fierce Five Pre-Owned Yachts, anyone?”

Aly yawns and lays down with her head in Jordyn’s lap. “You’ve really thought this through, Jo. Nice job.”

“Hey, thanks. I’ll email you the business plan.”

Mac looks down at her phone. “Kyla has concerns. Specifically, do any of us know how to drive a yacht. Pfft. Details.”

“Tell her to get here already, OK?” Jo absently runs her fingers through Aly’s hair. “It hasn’t been the same without her.”

“We have to make sure this vacation happens, guys,” Aly says as Mac texts busily. “Maybe a weekend this spring?”

They fall silent. They all know how hard getting back into competition shape is going to be and how little time they’ll have to spare between prepping for meets. 

“We’ll make it happen,” Mac says confidently. “We’re too awesome to be apart for long. Pinky swear, OK?”

Aly sits up. They all link pinky fingers, each feeling a pang at the thought of how little time they have left. Then Mac stage-whispers “USA!!” like they’re at the Olympics again and they dissolve into giggles, and there’s no way they can stay sad while they’re still together. 

.

.

. 

_Brossy and Mems_

Becca’s happy for what seems like the first time in a very long time. It doesn’t matter that night after night, nobody in the tour audience knows who she is. The pressure’s finally off her. Tanking bars at Trials is only a distant memory. 

She wonders how long this can last. 

“Chells?”

Chellsie looks up from her book. “Yeah?”

Becca puts her phone down and wraps her arms around her knees. “This is fun, isn’t it?” she asks.

Chellsie looks around. She and Becca are hanging out in the lounge at the back of the bus while a few of the others watch a movie up front. “Yeah, pretty chill back here.”

“No, I mean … like … this. All of this.”

“Becca, you’re going to have to be more specific.”

Becca thinks back over the year they’ve both had. How USAG screwed Chellsie over, and how she knew Valeri would rather have spent his time focusing completely on coaching his daughter. “After everything that happened this summer … did you ever get frustrated with all the politics and expectations?”

“Of course. But I tried not to let it get to me. Why do you ask?”

Becca props her chin on her forearms. “For me, I think with all the pressure and stuff, like knowing where I could’ve been without injuries and Marta’s games … I kind of stopped loving gymnastics. When I fell at Trials, I just felt relieved.”

“You were under a lot of stress,” Chellsie says with characteristic diplomacy.

Yeah. The last WOGA girl left standing, after Nastia peeled off bars first and lost her chance at alternate. Nastia had cried later. Becca hadn’t.

“I’ve been doing some thinking about what my next move is. If I should keep competing or whatever. What are you planning to do?”

“I wanted to try for Worlds, but it isn’t going to happen for me. I’m definitely retiring.”

Becca shakes her head. “Damn, you throw a double layout tonight and still say that?”

“It’s the right time for me,” Chellsie says, clearly at peace. “What about you?”

Becca thinks about Valeri’s text from earlier today. _Mexican Gala in November if you want to do it_. “If there’s one thing I’ve learned on tour, it’s that I’m still attached to this sport somehow,” she says almost sadly. “I don’t think I can let go yet, Chells. I probably wouldn’t know how to even if I tried.”

Chellsie silently tangles her fingers with Becca’s. Her engagement ring catches the dim light and Becca can’t help thinking about futures. How they come out of nowhere sometimes at strange angles; how you realize you’re old at 19 and it’s OK to finally want other things for yourself. Not Olympic medals, not stardom. Just … to be happy. 

The bus speeds on into the night. They’ll reach another city by daybreak.


End file.
